Boxer Bradley fights his mother’s corner
Tuesday 19th July 2011, 2:30PM BST.
BOXING star Bradley Watson has come out fighting for his mum Joanne after a string of critical national newspaper articles and flak from hundreds of local people online.
The 20-year-old flyweight (pictured), who turned professional this year, slammed critics of his family, saying ‘They don’t know what they’re talking about’.
St Martin’s mum-of-14, Joanne, who split up from husband John a few years ago, featured in the Daily Mail last week defending her pregnant 15-year-old daughter Mariah for following in the footsteps of her elder sisters who had babies at 16.
Her son yesterday hit out at what he saw as a stream of unwarranted attacks on his family.
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Mr Watson’s defence of his family is admirable and you can’t blame him for defending his family in the face of some of the bile that’s been thrown against them here.
Unfortunately for him though the Watsons have become one of a long list of people who willingly invited the media into their private lives and now don’t like the inevitable consequences – one of which is open public comment. Although some of the reaction has been despicable, his parents must take some responsibility for this as I’m afraid you can’t invite a pack of hungry dogs into your house and then complain when they rip the place to shreds.
I posted after the first story that it’s about time the media stopped printing stories about this family as it is harmful to both them and the public. I’ll simply repeat that call here – the children didn’t choose to become scapegoats for society’s anger at their mother and the welfare state, and stories like this don’t generate the necessary debate about the welfare state, they generate bile and abuse that shames the island just as much as any benefit scrounger.
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To think the people of guernsey actually care/need to know about what happens in this woman’s personal life is ridiculous!
The argument for islanders isn’t whether or not she is a fit mother, but how she is allowed continue procreating a production line of children that she has no means to pay for and we are expected to foot the bill for.
I would emplore the Guernsey Press to stop publishing articles on this woman and leave that to the UK puplications that she is so fond of selling stories too.
Or maybe perhaps seeing that her hunt for publicity is now affecting her children and family will make her think twice about publicising her private life in the future.
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@chelseafan26
i agree with that ,leave it to the english papers,were all fed up of this story now,probaly the whole island is talking about this MISS watson,just think of your children in all this,and the comments they must be getting from everyone…
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Good post Chelseafan26 totally agree
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this family are actually ridiculous! they crave media attention all the time – NOBDOY in this island cares about your money grabbing famiyl, so do us all a favour and keep your stories and antics to yourselves!!! seriously – we do not need to know that joanne txt craig 200 times begging for a baby – what on earth is this world coming to??
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I might be naive here, but how does the national press know of Ms Watson and her family?
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“To think the people of guernsey actually care/need to know about what happens in this woman’s personal life is ridiculous!”
Never confuse a front page headline with public interest. One does not necessarily follow t’other.
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I can only really echo Mr Le Page’s comments. It often happens that people seeking a bit of attention turn to the local, and even in this case, national, rags to perhaps turn a quick buck or perchance to receive sympathy votes when it comes to whatever is ailing them.
It is then surprising, that when the attention becomes too much to bear and the spotlight is shifted to somewhere that these people would like to remain hidden that these same people, who have cried wolf, complain that they just want to be left alone. Irony they name is thou!
I would urge the Guernsey Press to find something else to right about and not give this family anymore free publicity.
My2Cents
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I dont give a dam about the family they can do what they want, its where my tax money is going which is the problem and i blame the states.
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Because HDM she sold her story to the National Press.
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If you don’t want people to comment on your private life then keep it private, simples!!!
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Totally agree with Chelseafan26. My husband and I work hard to make an honest living, saved and sacrificed to buy our own flat, pay our taxes and social security and struggle to make ends meet each month and after many years of marriage still cannot afford to have a first baby. It amazes me how MISS Watson can have lovely fashionable clothes, have her hair perfectly coloured, be willing to pay £200 to join a sperm donating website…sorry a dating website….and still have more disposable income each month than we do AND feed and clothe all of her family. When are the States going to wake up and cap the allowance after say 4 children? This women is taking advantage of the system and rubbing it in our faces. We do not want to read about her and we certainly do not want to read about her teenage daughters “playing” the system like she has. She pays £27 per week rent on TWO houses knocked into one. What a flipping joke!
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recently separtated .been to social and was told,NO,sorry we cant help you,i live in states house n my rent is over £170aweek,i work part time,
so is wondering if miss watson might give me a few tips on how to claim some money off the social.as every little helps.
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He is a good son to stick up for his mum, rightly or wrongly.
The whole thing is just getting a bit sad, I don’t want to see any more about it. I hope the GP just leaves it alone now.
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Unlike his mother, the public has a clear choice whether or not they will support Bradley.
For Bradley the appropriate response was “I don’t agree with everything she does but she is my mother and I love her”. Is that too hard to say? Why play the fool? Show some maturity and respect. People want to support you, don’t alienate them.
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Well, Bradley it is very admirable of you to defend your mother in this way, and also your younger sisters. I totally agree that the children should not be the subject of abuse and ridicule but your mum really should have thought about the effect on the family when she started to give the national press intimate details of her sex life. Maybe it would have been a good idea to have thought twice before parading all your family to the “Daily Mail” in December 2007 posing as the perfect family around the Christmas dinner table. When Mrs Watson sold her story to an agency along with photo’s of all the children she must have been very naive(no maybe just a publicity seeker).
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I’m not getting into the whole debate but please get it straight about the housing situation. Ms Watson does NOT have two houses knocked into one! She has one 4 bedroom house only and I know this for a fact.
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Please, i don’t care if this guy is a professional boxer.
I don’t care he is upset.
What i DO care about is my tax money being wasted…..
And his mother IS part of wasting my money.
That IS a fact.
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I assume Ms Watson has declared the earnings she made from the sale of her story …………………………………………………..of course.
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Well to be honest how is Miss Watson ment to go out to work with all them children? Is she ment to leave them at home alone? The people of Guernsey would soon have something to say about that too. The states are to blame they are clearly giving her to much money if she can afford to go to this over priced dating agency, If she’s got extra money left over at the end of the week/month she’s not exactly going to hand it back is she, noone would!
I know of people that haven’t work a day in there life’s and are incapable of looking after the one or two children they have and would rather spend there tax payer’s money on
drugs and booze rather than put decent meal on the table and clean clothes on there childs back.
I also know a non-local person who gets sent a cheque for over £100 in the post each week(they don’t even have to get out of bed to go get it)for doing nothing when there perfectly capable of going out to work they even get there flat rent payed, so what does that say about The States,
Even the governors get tax payer’s money for being chauffeured around place to place having cups of tea and eating sandwiches!
Leave Miss Watson and her family alone!
Dont blame the people, blame the system!!!!
The States of Guernsey are a joke and so is the way they run this Island!!
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Miss Watson needs lessons in morality and needs to get a job and fend for her family instead of us working folk doing it for her ,
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Bradley
Maybe your mother should have thought about protecting you and your brothers and sisters in the same way you are trying to protect her?. But it was her that has dragged you all through the gutter press so what did she expect?.
On second thoughts it is possible that she was advised to tell her story in the way she has to cause upset? because there`s no news like bad news for getting noticed and that means £££££.
The Children should absolutely not be blamed for any of this, i think their Mother has bought them enough negative attention already.
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LOCAL GUY WELL SAID.
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Im fed up of reading about the watson family. She dosnt like it now people are hitting back .she should of thought about that before opening her mouth .Iwish i was only paying 27 pound a week rent i would be laughing. And getting all the benefits that she has.Theres hard working people getting thrown out of there houses for earning to much its about time the social started waking up to people like her.Mabee this is why her daughters are getting pregnant its away out of of being her built in babysitter
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If Ms Watson made money from any of these interviews, has it been declared to the tax authorities / Housing? I imagine her rent may go be going up???
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Fair play to #bradley for sticking up for his family.
but the fact is Joanne doesn’t care about spending other people’s money. If she was to just stop getting pregnant when she has no means of providing for the children i think people would be more tolerant. But she openly states that she wants more children which is totqlly selfish when she can’t even support the ones that she has. If she carries on having children she will never be in a position to go out to work. What she should be doing is planning on looking for a job when her youngest goes to school. Even if it is part time at least then she is seen to be trying to support her brood. And she looks after her grand-children whilst her daughters work well i think they should be paying her. Other people have to pay for child care.
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until last month I was working and living with my partner. now im on supplementary, single and had to give up my work to look after my two youngest who are not at school due to being 2 an 5 months. am I in the wrong. yes she shouldn’t of had so many kids?? but I agree she is after the attention and craves it. when she is out and about all her kids are dressed to the nines,, even I can not afford what she has!. I get 350 a week, after rent electric food, im left with about £80 which I spend taking the kids out. I buy from second hand shops, or e-bay< where I get clothes at £1- £2- am I in the wrong
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Bradley Watson should realise that going to the papers is a double edged sword. You may get your message across but you will give others who disagree with you a chance to have their say. If he finds that to hot then his mother should have stayed out of the kitchen.
The printed media are simply in the business of selling papers, the only duty they have is to provide their shareholders with a return on their investment.
What may be a helping hand today will turn into a kick in the teeth tomorrow if it sells papers. When you sup with the devil use a long spoon, or better still don’t sup at all, stay in the safety of anonymity.
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why are people mentioning she only pays £27 a week rent?
She doesn’t pay any rent…we give her the wedge of cash, then she pays £27 from it back to the states.
She doesn’t pay any rent, it’s a hand out !
p.s. don’t bash her offspring, they haven’t done anything wrong. It’s their mother that has been a drain on society not them
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Disgusting really….. What kind of example does she set for her kids. They are already a product of there enviroment pushing out there own offspring. Mind you Miss Watson is just one of many for example- I know a guy who has his own leadwork company- boasting that he has just paid his last payment on his morgage while all the time his got 2 kids being bought up by supplementery, while hes missis lives in a states property and drives around advertising his buisness on the back of the car she drives. Now thats what the taxpayer wants to worry about. Not some women whos her own worst enemy.
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@Getitright
In that case when The Watsons were on their TV show a few years ago why did they say that they WERE living in 2 States houses knocked into one?
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i don’t quite know what sort of reaction ‘Miss’ (I didn’t know my ex hubby used to fiddle the benny) Watson expected when she decided to start using the media to tell the world of her ‘achievements’, especially in such difficult times when everyone is struggling financially and the world still hasn’t really recovered from the recent bank’s crisis.
If she and her son are as genuinely shocked at they say at the myriad of negative reactions their story received (of course, the tabloid she sold the story to wasn’t) then truly, they are both in need of some serious help and guidance about the ‘real world’…..
here’s some….if you don’t want people making negative comments about you an’ yours, keep your mouths shut, and don’t make your lives into a soap opera for the gutter press to exploit.
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I personally feel that what Mrs Watson and her family decide to do has absolutely nothing to do with anyone. She can do what the hell she likes. And as for Mariah, she is a lovely girl and will make a great mum. Yes my husband pays tax etc., etc., but no amount of moaning and pointing the finger is going to change anything so live and let live!
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this is a sham the only reason the girls are getting pregnant is so they wont have to get a job
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@cheesedoff
I’m not sure why it was said they had two houses, didn’t see the programme but I live near Jo and I can assure you it’s only one house! There is definitely another family living in the house joined on to hers and another in the house across the alley. So not sure where the rumour came from.
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@ bradley
you must try to ignore this, it will blow over eventually. Do not respond to outbursts from people about your mother, it is not your fault. Anything you say will have consequenses and reprocussions. I know its hard but you must try.
Im saddened by some of the comments directed to you here and on related threads, many have been quite cruel and would have broken my heart to hear if directed at myself or my family.
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Well, the outcome remains unchanged…
The loser by a knockout – the Guernsey taxpayer and this already overcrowded island.
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@Candy
We are paying for what Mrs Watson decides to do! The tax that your husband pays may as well just be paid straight into her bank account………..and that doesn’t bother you?
I know that whatever we say is not going to change the situation but sometimes it makes you feel better just to get it off your chest.
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I think it is ridiculous that this “woman” is making so much of a scene over these petty little things.
I think it is quite clear that she wants as much attention as she can grab onto without having self respect in doing so.
The organisation that she was refused membership to is an exclusive, private organisation. They have rules and regulations and a certain “type” of client.
Again, this is an exclusive organisation with the majority of clients being used to the “finer” things in life. Do you really think that these high earning businessmen that have worked hard to get where they are and earn the salaries that they do really want to be associated with a woman like this?… I know that I would’t!
I have seen that someone has already commented on this but I feel that her money should be much more tightly “capped” to a minimal amount of children.
It is ridiculous that the states of Guernsey are so far behind and think that this is acceptable behaviour from a so-called “adult”.
What kind of example is this “woman” setting for children close to her? The answer is look at her children and their pregnancy ages!
I think she is vile, I think she should have psychic analysis and I also feel a lot of pitty for her.
Many people may disagree with me but this is MY opinion and I also think this is the same or extremely similar opinion to a LOT of people reading it!
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It may well be that Bradley Watson is sticking up for his family but surely it is that same family that has got in touch with the Daily Mail in the first place. Would Guernsey even know so much if it was not plastered all over the National Newspapers. He should be talking to his mother about keeping a lid on it all!!!!
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Oh and Craig made her pay him £500 to have a baby with him. £500…. hmmmmm. I’d like £500 of my money back please. Ta.
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@Anon,
Well Put.
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Sarah yes nicely on her facebook page for all to read as well. This should be investigated esp if she gets a tidy £2k and can quite happily have £500 to spare to pay craig to give her a baby….why her own admission on her facebook page is that she is desperate!!!
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can we all just leave the story alone now i think these kids are having there mum and brother plastered all over the press yes i know bradley he is a hard working kind gent anyone who knows him will say the same brad your next contender the press editor knock him out mate
ps not in a real fight lol
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I just think it is really sad when the Watson family makes front page news and the poor frenchman that they were looking for but has now been found made 3rd page, if we are not paying for her to live we would be paying for god knows how many others who use the excuse of kids not to work
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Well i’m one of nine and my mum and dad have always supported us never had one hand out not for anything. Because they wanted us lot so they pay for us. And what bradley said about if you want my mum to work then come and look after the kids for her, well if you cant work and look after your kids dont have them simple as that really eh. i go out to work at ungodly hours to help support my family and i do it because i wanted my child so i pay for them. And some of my money is going straight out my wage packet and into her back pocket. As for her 15 year old you cant really blame her for getting pregnant she has learnt from the best. You have a baby and you get money what a life.
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Big Yin – there is no doubt that this story will die a death eventually – that’s unless the brood mare decides to have another child and sells her story to the big boys.
Perhaps you might have a word with your hard working mate Bradley to try and persuade his mother to do the decent thing and get her tubes tied. Do us all a favour please.
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SARNIA EXPAT where you living now uk to claim your benefits maybe i am sick of all the trash in all the papers about all things as for you asking to tie his mums tubes up that makes no sense she is still an attractive lady and make still have children have you ever suffered a misscarriage prob not i have know people who have lost young familys that are important to them and as for you to say about bradley as your hard working mate he is he works loads of hour then goes boxing training and just moved into a flat not a states one he himself is trying to makr his life better so in the next post say sorry if not i know what a sad shep like person you are
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Hiya Big Yin
FYI I don’t live in the UK, I pay taxes here to keep the likes of Ms Watson and her brood in the luxury to which I am not privy.
It would be highly irresponsible for anyone, least of all a woman like Ms Watson, to go on and reproduce again – surely you must have an inkling of commonsense to be able to see this?
To bring “lost families” and “miscarriages” into the argument is rather naive. This has no bearing on the argument that this woman is a freeloader.
As for attractive? well, I am not going to get personal. What you see boys, is presumably what you want to see.
Glad to here that Bradley is a hard worker and not relying on a fly by night fly weight career which obviously wont last. At least then that is one less Watson to have to pay for.
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@ big yin
It absolutely DOES make sense to tie this woman’s tubes/give her a hysterectomy. She can’t be bothered to work to support the children she has already got therefore it would be totally irresponsible of her to keep having more just because she likes babies.
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Miss watson lives in a states house, she gets her benefits, she doesnt appear to have to pay many bills.
I on the other hand work full time, as does my partner, live in a rented flat whilst saving as much as possible to get a mortgage and a house, would not be able to afford a child or to get married for a least another few years.
It seems that if i had just got pregnant when i left school instead of going onto further education and trying to get the best job that i could, that i would just have everything handed to me on a plate. Instead i am paying my taxes to keep this family and i suppose a lot more in this rather easy and stress free life.
How is all this fair???
The simple answer is it is not fair. ‘miss’ watson should have to work at least part time while the children are at school and then have the others in childcare. this would then be a bit of justice. You should not have children if you cannot support them at least using a bit of your own money instead of sponging off others that are payong taxes and cannot afford their own children.
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cheesed off well said .
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hi could you tell me how you mum works the states because iv’e been self-employed for 10 years or more and all i keep getting is large bills in which i am so down about, as a selfemployed mother like mrs Whatson can she give me some pointers as im struggling in my trade while she is doing very well so can you tell us selfemployed or is it a scam.
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If she likes babies that much shame she never thought about child care as a career. Looking after babies and earning a wage at the same time. Sounds like her kind of heaven (unless it was just the work bit that was a bit scary).
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@is this fair?
Maybe not, but is it your tactics that need a review, seems to works well enough for some?
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donkey doo well said childcare sounds the perfect job when you adore children but the freeloader whats to sponge off us .Shame on the states for allowingher spongin to continue .The ammount of benefits shes getting is a farce shes better off than alot of us hard workers it makes me sickshes havin a good laugh at our expense .
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Me and my husband are struggling like all couples do. Trying to save up enough for place and to support a child. I don’t like the idea of supporting others children. If me and my husband can work to support a child, I don’t see why all MRS Watson on the island shouldn’t be looking for work. Some of them aren’t even fit to be parent. We’re missing out on our son’s firsts and they can ask some one to babysit while they work.
Dear States SS Department,
Do spend all hard earned tax payer money wisely. Cap the benefit at 2 children. First child is a mistake, to have a second is just on purpose to get more money.
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This Watson story has gone on for years, the taz payer has supported her for years and the true deserving people of this island – the sick and elderly have a little less made available to them in order to keep this lady in the way she is accustomed.
I do not know this lady – i have seen her children and have to say they are extremely well behaved and dressed very well, however and its a big however it’s the tax payer paying for it all.
Could we not have a Compulsory Contraceptive Act – would certainly make more sense than conveying building materials up Petit Bot !!! – but hey thats why i’m not a Deputy !!!.
This whole story now becomes monotonous and only leads to insulting comments – is this the ladies fault or the systems ?.
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Simple,
Cap the benefits for two children. Anything more than that you have to find a way to keep them. There is now way that a family with a very healthy income could afford half the amount of kids. Yet someone has 14 with no job? Surely the states can cap the benefits for two offspring? I know some idiot wlll say ‘what if they have triplets’, well obviously that can’t be helped. I have said it before, the real cost in in schooling, dentists bills, healthcare etc., not the handout. The hidden (variable) costs are enormous
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Sterilisation
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Poor Bradley Watson he shouldn’t have to defend his mother.
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